Child abuse, cultural disbelief and the patriarchal family

These observations from the Ombudsman for Children in Ireland crystallise the public frustration and fatigue concerning child abuse reports. The paradox is that while child abuse reports expose deep flaws in the system of child protection, it doesn’t appear to improve – or does it? Are the tragedies that are investigated preventable? Do professionals, media and public hold shared understandings of who is responsible and what can be done to prevent child abuse? Is there a culture of disbelief about the social reality of child abuse? In this chapter, we seek answers from four Irish inquiries into child abuse by posing